Senator Sanders Unfiltered Video: War and Peace

by Senator Bernie Sanders | October 9th, 2009

President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to reduce nuclear arms, ease tensions with the non-Western world and stress diplomacy. Americans should be proud that we have a president who is restoring respect for our country around the globe. This well-deserved prize is an inspiration for the president and for rest of us to do some really hard thinking about how we create a more peaceful and just world – including our role in Afghanistan. We are now in our ninth year in Afghanistan – twice as long as were engaged in World War II. We have lost more than 800 troops. We have spent more than $200 billion. What do we hope to accomplish in Afghanistan? What is our exit strategy?

What is the best way of protecting the American people from al-Qaeda and from terrorist threats? What is the most effective way of opposing the Taliban, an extremely reactionary group? How do we relate to the government in Afghanistan which is widely believed to be corrupt? How does the situation in Afghanistan relate to Pakistan – a nation with nuclear weapons? These are a few of the questions that have to be dealt with before we continue pouring more troops and money into Afghanistan. The time is now for a real national discussion about Afghanistan – including real debate in Congress. It is long overdue.

J Burke

For foolishly acepting the Nobel Prize, this fraud that the American people have very foolishly elected with a commanding Demoncrat majority will be one of the major reasons why he will be a one timer like Jimmy Carter and why the House and the Senate will fall to the Republicans. Thanks Obama.

Sam New York

Bernie,

One can make a strong argument that neither Al-Qaeda nor Taliban pose any major military, security, or energy-related short or long-term risks to the most powerful nation in the world. Could it be that our presence in Afghanistan centers on our strategy to control Central Asia and prevent the Chinese and the Russians, think SCO, from posing a much stronger threat to our global military and economical dominance? Brzezinski has had his cross-hairs on Central Asia for a long time. In fact, he could be called the father of suckering the Soviets-into-Afghanistan strategy. With our military presence in Central Asia, we could threaten the pipelines feeding China from Russia and Iran, and consequently, influence regional events . If this assumption is somewhat accurate, then one could understand why we are trying to destabilize Pakistan, a nation that Chinese consider close and strategic friend. Could this be our real objective? If yes, why the progressive media has failed to successfully present this as a possible reason for extending the war in Afghanistan?

Thank you for all your good work.

Sam

solcohen

We have manouvered ourselves into a no-win situation. Our armed forces are not equipped for combat in a tribal, fragmented area that is not a nation in any sense. We have no abiding interest in Afghanistan but only insofar as it offers a haven for Pakistan-based irregular troops. We should be helping Pakistan to become a real nation that responds to the aspirations of its people as the way to contain these irregulars. War is not the answer. You cannot fight darkness with darkness.

PeaceMom

Senator Sanders-- This past week, the House and then the Senate voted on the 2010 Defense budget, which contains $128 BILLION for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The lone Senate vote against the bill was Senator Feingold. WHERE WERE YOU? If you are going to question and speak out about the need to develop goals and have a debate in Congress, then make that happen instead of getting our country further into debt!!! Please WALK your TALK!! I am so tired of politicians who value their standing in their party more than the lives of our soldiers and the future of our kids.

James Murray

I can't see that we are accomplishing anything worthwhile in Afghanistan. It is another Viet-Nam, a knock down dragout that will continue forever if we don't put a stop stop to our involvement there.

samra

Was there many years ago. Many asked me the q.: "...is the US trying to exchange chairs with the Soviets"? (when the US military and financial help, together w. manpower, courtesy of now late OsamaB.L. poured into Afganistan).
If they do, we'll fight them to"! How prophetic at the time of Afgany resistance against the Soviet military. Not many though know, that Soviets were actually liked and appreciated by Afganis before they came with the tanks. Soviets built and managed the only hydro plant near Jalalabad, they;ve sent combines all the way from Dushambe to harvest meager Afgany ground crops. Soviets even run taxi service in Kabul, with their Volga cars. Leaders who loved them like Hikmatyar or Dostam suddenly changed into the "freedom fighters" when the tanks rolled into Kabul. I understand Gulbadin Hikmatyar is now one of the leading "terrorist" - CAN MR. OBAMA GET A HINT???? ISN'T HE ASHAMED OF ACCEPTING THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR PEACE WHILE PLOTTING TO SEND 40K MORE TROOPS TO AFGANISTAN ( and not moving out of Iraq any time soon??)
Funny, that the official reason (although not a real one) for the Soviet military incursion into Afganistan was that fundamentalist's Islam is threatening the Leading role of Communist party in the Soviet southern republics! Looks like Clinton's and later Bush's and now Obama's administration just changed a few words, but otherwise use the same reasoning.
Through my travels & studies of Pakistani, Afgany, Iranian cultures, regional quirks I found interesting material. Would love to help present administration obviously non-experienced in such foreign policy issues to terminate our 19th Century style occupation of that country and creeping attempts to get fully militarily involved in Pakistan, with salivating generals to extend the conflict across to Iran (there are tank loving un-defendable plains from Herat all the way to Meshed-Iran).
Live & Let's live - those people incidentally had nothing to do with 9/11- with all due respect they can't run the bus service nor continuous cement plant; maybe someone should invite Mr. Cheney for a waterboarding enhancing session - maybe he would tell us who had really managed that dastardly act of 9/11.